Level Design in a Day - Unreal Engine...Level Design in a Day Tools: Making a Better Game Jim Brown, Lead Level Designer, Epic Games

Level Design in a DayLevel Design in a DayTools: Making a Better Game

Level Design in a DayLevel Design in a Day

Jim Brown, Lead Level Designer, Epic Games

Philli Eff tPhilli Eff tPhillips EffectPhillips Effect

Philli Eff tPhilli Eff tPhillips EffectPhillips Effect•• 2 4 min savings / day2 4 min savings / day•• 2.4 min savings / day2.4 min savings / day


•• x100 employees = 240 min / day = 4 hours / dayx100 employees = 240 min / day = 4 hours / dayp y / y / yp y / y / y


•• x100 employees = 240 min / day = 4 hours / dayx100 employees = 240 min / day = 4 hours / dayp y / y / yp y / y / y

•• 4 hours / day = 4 hours / day = 20 hours / week20 hours / week

Philli Eff tPhilli Eff tPhillips EffectPhillips Effect•• 2 4 min savings /day2 4 min savings /day•• 2.4 min savings /day2.4 min savings /day

•• x100 employees = 240 min/day = 4 hours/dayx100 employees = 240 min/day = 4 hours/dayp y / y / yp y / y / y

•• 4 hours / day = 4 hours / day = 20 hours / week20 hours / week

•• 20 hours / week = 6 man20 hours / week = 6 man‐‐months of your time / months of your time / 1 f ti th j t1 f ti th j tyear = year = 1 year of your time on the project.1 year of your time on the project.


•• What could What could YOUYOU do in one do in one year on your current year on your current project?project?p jp j


•• What could YOUR TEAM do What could YOUR TEAM do i hi h hh f df dwith with one more month one more month of dev of dev

time?time?

P ti l li tiP ti l li tiPractical applicationPractical application

Assault

P ti l li tiP ti l li tiPractical applicationPractical application• BSP for rapid prototyping

Forces Design Mindset


Fast Iteration



Quick and Easy




Quick Collision



Tried and True


P ti l li tiP ti l li tiPractical applicationPractical application•• BSP for rapid prototypingBSP for rapid prototyping

Forces design mindsetForces design mindset•• Forces design mindsetForces design mindset•• Fast iterationFast iteration•• Quick and easyQuick and easy

Q i k C lli iQ i k C lli i•• Quick CollisionQuick Collision•• Tried and trueTried and true


G i BG i B•• Generic BrowserGeneric Browser

P ti l li tiP ti l li tiPractical applicationPractical application• Generic Browser


OrganizedOrganized


EfficientEfficient


FlexibleFlexible


G i BG i B•• Generic BrowserGeneric Browser•• OrganizedOrganized•• EfficientEfficient

l ibll ibl•• FlexibleFlexible


G i BG i B•• Generic BrowserGeneric Browser•• RealReal--time editing and PIEtime editing and PIE

•• scaling, moving, updatingscaling, moving, updating

P ti l li tiP ti l li tiPractical applicationPractical application•• RealReal--time editing and PIEtime editing and PIE


G i BG i B•• Generic BrowserGeneric Browser•• RealReal--time editing and PIEtime editing and PIE•• LightmassLightmass


G i BG i B•• Generic BrowserGeneric Browser•• RealReal--time editing and PIEtime editing and PIE•• LightmassLightmass•• Kismet and MatineeKismet and Matinee

P ti l li tiP ti l li tiPractical applicationPractical application• Kismet and Matinee

P ti l li tiP ti l li tiPractical applicationPractical application•• Kismet and MatineeKismet and Matinee




T k TiT k TiTakeaway TipsTakeaway Tips


T k TiT k TiTakeaway TipsTakeaway Tips•• Own the toolset or it will own youOwn the toolset or it will own you

S h t d ?S h t d ?•• So what can you do?So what can you do?•• Learn what it does well and position thatLearn what it does well and position that•• Know your shortcutsKnow your shortcuts

h h k h h ’h h k h h ’•• Watch someone who knows what they’re Watch someone who knows what they’re doingdoing

T k TiT k TiTakeaway TipsTakeaway Tips•• So what can you do?So what can you do?

Watch someone who knows what they’re Watch someone who knows what they’re •• Watch someone who knows what they’re Watch someone who knows what they’re doingdoing

T k TiT k TiTakeaway TipsTakeaway Tips•• Be the ChampionBe the Champion

Read documentationRead documentation•• Read documentationRead documentation•• POC and present / knowledge sharePOC and present / knowledge share

•• Gears examplesGears examplesF F idF F id•• Free FridayFree Friday

T k TiT k TiTakeaway TipsTakeaway Tips•• Challenge yourselfChallenge yourself

Present a solutionPresent a solution•• Present a solutionPresent a solution•• What would make this better?What would make this better?•• What tools need changing?What tools need changing?

Wh t’ i i ?Wh t’ i i ?•• What’s missing?What’s missing?•• Use your most important toolsUse your most important tools

•• HeadHeadH tH t•• HeartHeart

•• MouthMouth•• Small change = Big impactSmall change = Big impact

C i tC i t•• ConsistencyConsistency


•• Be the screwdriver, not the screw.Be the screwdriver, not the screw.

Q ti ?Q ti ?Questions?Questions?

[email protected]@EpicGames.com

Documents

Level Design in a Day - Unreal Engine...Level Design in a Day Tools: Making a Better Game Jim Brown, Lead Level Designer, Epic Games